Freak Island

Motivation

Motivation covers three components as ways to describe what makes your character tick, and what can make life more complicated (and therefore more interesting) for them. Choose desires, fears, and foibles that will drive your character forward or heighten the drama of their actions, increasing motivation to succeed.

Desires

A good desire is something simple, and at the core of the person. It’s more than just “being rich”, what would the character actually have by being rich? Power? Security? Influence? A good desire could be summed up as a lack they see in the world or within themselves. It is a goal to strive for.

DesireMarry Deborah Fiverelli: John is in love with the daughter of Marco Fiverelli, the crime boss he has found himself working for, and wishes to marry her. Now if only he can get her overprotective father to bless such a union.

Good examples: To protect, Uncover a Secret either about themselves or the world, to belong, revenge, freedom, control, acceptance,, etc.

Fears

A good fear is again, something fundamental part of the character, informing their decisions. It’s more than just “Spiders” or “Heights”. It’s a risk they are terrified of taking, something they feel they cannot lose without being irreparably damaged, or a flaw they are terrified of having exposed.

FearBeing exposed: John is afraid that if he lets even one of the plates he keeps spinning drop his whole world will come down. He worries to the point of paranoia that the wrong people will find out that he is dirty, or that he’s dating a crime-boss’ daughter, or that he has a strange power.

Good examples: Losing connections with others, loss of sanity, loss of one’s identity, having a great secret revealed, loss of control, etc.

Foibles

Foibles are -2 qualities that are weaknesses or flaws in your character. A foible might be something the character is terribly bad at, or an addiction that affects their judgment or ability if not fed, or a nemesis that actively works against them. It might be a physical or character flaw that puts them at a disadvantage in some situations.

The purpose of a foible is to make situations more challenging, unpredictable, or dangerous for the character.

FOIBLENemesis: Jane Masters
John is hounded by internal affairs officer, Jane Masters, who is also his ex-girlfriend. She knows John is dirty, and driven by resentment for a bad breakup, goes out of her way to try and prove it.

Good examples: A chemical addiction, a behavioral compulsion, A physical handicap, a mental or emotional imbalance, A nemesis,

The activation of a desire, fear or Foible in the game will also give the character a Style Point, which will be explained later in this document.